Originally this room had no direct access into the main part of the house and was used to accommodate travellers and other “strangers”.

In the early days of the colony of New South Wales, Campbelltown was in the country – about 30 miles from Sydney Town – a long journey by bullock wagon with all your family, farm animals, and other possessions.

So established homesteads and townhouses provided hospitality for the weary travellers – a welcome break from the bumpy dirt roads, and cooking over an open fire. At Glenalvon travellers would sleep in the Strangers Room – a forerunner of the “sleepout”.